A city on the edge of forever
by kennyr13
Summary: Courier contends with adversaries new and old while trying to mold the Mojave into a new civilization. Please review.
1. Celebration in Sorrow

**Author's note: Future new Vegas**** without Yes man's update enjoy!**

A city on the edge of forever

The smell of Alcohol filled the air at the Mojave outpost as Troopers, rangers, and officers alike drowned their sorrows in the disappointment of losing the biggest engagement of their careers. Most of them had broken limbs and some still had oozing gunshot wounds that had been left untreated by the few doctors that the Mojave outpost had to offer. It had not even been eight hours since the defeat at the Dam and the robots had already swooped in and fought both the NCR and the fiends for control of camp McCarran. It had ended with the courier's securitrons winning with more artillery and air support from the now very active Boomers at Nellis. Colonel Hsu had been found dead at his desk when the courier's task force had entered the concourse building. A suicide note had been found next to an empty glass presumably filled with a poison of some sorts.

Then reports came in of an incident at camp Golf where without the leadership of chief Hanlon who had been arrested by NCR agents just days before the Rangers could not put up as massive of a resistance as they had hoped. General Oliver had been reported KIA but no survivors had come back with news of how this had happened.

The third battle of the day happened when the Brotherhood of Steel decided to attack Helios one with apparent artillery support from the Boomers and also the courier's robots. The BOS had stormed the base and seized with very few casualties and ruthlessness unmatched by anyone. Scattered reports said that some troopers had actually surrendered and were killed by firing squad. Then reports came from the fort that the Legion had completely and utterly destroyed by securitrons and air attacks.

Cottonwood Grove had gone the way of the NCR ranger stations with simple messages of surrender and a human population of zero. Securitron divisions had been sent to create a presence at these places and any renaming presence had left or been destroyed.

Out of all the darkness of the day one moment that made the soldiers proud was the last stand of Colonel Cassandra Moore. It was a legendary moment and it would be surely immortalized in later years. While no surviving members had made it out a recording was found which gave everyone a clue of what had happened. Apparently Moore had heard of a large Securitron presence entering the Dam and had taken it as her personal mission to bring as many down with her as she could. She and a small contingent of soldiers had taken positions in the hills behind Hoover Dam and held up for two and a half hours before Moore finally ran out of ammo and ran at a horde of robots with her knife. She and the other five soldiers defending the room had taken at least fifty securitrons down before finally falling. In way everyone in the crowded bar at the Mojave outpost had owed a toast to Moore. She had done what they could not do. She had fought until her last breath, and they were alive, sure they were wounded, but they were alive and mostly due to her stalling which gave them time to retreat. She was a hero, and her brother was going to be the most pissed off man in Shady Sands when he heard.

The mood of dreariness was replaced when a man barged in breaking the mood, "Orders from Kimball!"

Those words stopped all activity in the room and everyone looked at the messenger he spoke with dreariness in his voice this being the first time he had read it, "Soldiers, we are in a dark time. As I speak thousands of loyal men and women lie dead including most of the high command of our army. I will be working with this unnamed army in negotiating a peace that will allow us time to retreat to California. Thank you for your service and know that we are not giving up, just rethinking our strategy. We have not seen the last of New Vegas."

A mood of sobriety as all the soldiers knew now. There were no reinforcements from the west, no wonder weapons to end the war in a flash. Just complete and utter defeat. A gunshot rang out from the far corner of the building. A drunken trooper jumped to attention and ran back to the source of the shot. He stayed in there prompting more people to go in. Finally a ranger with a solemn look on his face walked out speaking as he did, "Ranger Jackson just shot himself."

Camp McCarran

Jack Samson looked out of the window of the U2 spy plane he had been in most of the day. He looked at the computer on his wrist and checked the latest reports from the robots and the task force. He had spent all day in this plane observing the different battles of the day and working out diplomacy with the surrounding factions and towns. All towns except Sloan had accepted the courier's message of peace. All factions except the Legion and the NCR had accepted his offer of assimilation into his Vegas empire.

Freddy, his pilot, informed him that they were soon they would be landing at camp McCarran where a Boomer presence had been established. Jack could hear the cheers as soon as he landed. He stepped out of the cockpit in blue jeans and a sweat shirt and marveled at the massive assembly that was there to welcome him. Cheers and clapping greeted him and he smiled and bowed to a roar of applause. He could only stand there and smile because he had succeeded where so many others had failed.

He was met by Snake a bodyguard he had hired a few weeks ago when the plans were being made. A rare smile crossed the bodyguard's face as he shook hands with his partner. He had a short mohawk and carried a light machine gun or a minigun depending on the level of threat. Today he had an M60 light machine gun on a strap hung around his neck and a desert eagle in his holster.

Snake leaned in and talked lightly to his boss, "We need to get out of here in ten boss. The longer you stay the odds of someone trying something increase."

Jack nodded but we soon ushered to a podium with a microphone set up waiting for him. He felt a surge of nervousness as he stepped up to address people of all walks of life who now saw him as a leader. He looked back to see Snake following and giving the crowd a thorough examination as he did. He looked up and saw Boone positioned in a sniper's tower covering the crowd from a higher angle. He looked out and began to speak.

"Two months ago I woke up in Goodsprings after taking a bullet to the head and some sub par work from an amateur surgeon. I never envisioned being here today. Even in the beginning of the planning for today I did not expect to live this long much less get away with the planning and of course the two stressful days of evading Legion assassins, NCR secret service agents, and countless mercenary groups which wished me dead. Of course this was not done by me alone. Without the help of my generals and faction leaders we would have never gotten this far. But there is much work to be done. My friends, we have a nation to build and much work left to do. However tonight celebrate. Enjoy all the strip has to offer at discount prices. Then tomorrow, my generals and political associates will meet at our pre determined meeting place to discuss the future. Thank you all and god bless the newly annexed nation of New Vegas."

With that Snake walked up announcing the conference was over and led Jack off the stage. It took a few minutes to escort the leader to his vertibird where all of his companions/ bodyguard team met him congratulating him as he got in the aircraft. Snake assumed his position on the door with his M60 on a stand overlooking the surrounding wasteland. Jack looked around at all the people in the vertbird. Boone's face was still blacked out from his part in the sniper op at the Fort which had resulted in the successful assassination of Caesar and his associates. Arcade was still covered in blood from his duties as field medic during the fight. He had a look on his face that gave the impression that battle had been bloody for the non robot soldiers in Vegas Army. Cass had been silent since she had returned from her op with a task force near Nipton. Only her and Jack knew exactly what this op was and that was how it would remain due to the nature of it. Still Jack worried about his friends and exactly what they had endured during the fight.

After a short ride the vertibird engines died down and it came to a soft landing on the newly installed Lucky 38 helipad. The team exited the aircraft and walked slowly into the headquarters of their new empire. Arcade disappeared first to the downstairs laboratory which had been discovered a few days ago. Cass went to the casino level to drown her sorrows in the sins of gambling and drinking that the city thrived on. Boone and Snake exchanged glares and then went their separate ways presumably to do something with their weapons. Then finally Jack found himself alone in the penthouse looking out over the strip in all its and neon lights. He then smiled _Its all mine. _However his quiet thoughts were interrupted by Yes man's annoying voice,

"Heya boss! You sure have done a swell job of wrapping up. Both Caesar's Legion and the NCR have been defeated all in one days work for you. So I'm sure you're going to have all sorts of questions on what to do next."

Jack nodded, "Yes how's the grand opening preparations going; have we found anyone to run the Casino yet?"

Yes man answered cheerfully as usual, "Yes we are 98% ready for the opening tomorrow night, and no we have several candidates but it's hard to find someone to run such a big casino."

Jack smiled, he enjoyed being in charge of everything. "Is the meeting for tomorrow after the grand opening set up?"

Yes man responded, "Yes it is! We have prepared the Repconn headquarters for the the meeting tomorrow, and invites have been sent to everyone that will be attending."

Jack poured a drink of Vodka and smiled, "Good make sure our supplies and prepare my wake up call for tomorrow. I'm going out for a little while."

Yes man had a concerned look, "OK I will alert Snake and Boone before you leave, and I will have the vertibird ready."

Jack shook his head while putting on his trench coat and grabbing his silenced .44 magnum custom made in the Hub while he was still friendly with the NCR, "Not necessary Yes man, I'm only going to visit a friend."

With that he put a hat on and left the penthouse and went to the elevator.


	2. reflection, realization, and revenge

The sun was beginning to fall as Jack left the Lucky 38 he nodded at the securitrons at the north gate and went through into freeside. He casually walked through freeside and received cheers from a small group of Kings that he passed. Jack returned the favor but checked both his gun and the bag of caps in his coat pocket. He had an alliance with the King but that didn't mean he trusted rest of his gang, espically Pacer. He made it thorough freeside without any issues and got on the highway to Goodsprings. He walked in silence and enjoyed the first moment he had to himself all day. He listened to the wind and observed as the dust blew around. He coughed as he inhaled some of the fore mentioned dust and drew the attention of a dark figure which he had just now noticed. Nervousness set in as Jack drew his magnum and readied himself for battle. To his surprise a wounded trooper crawled out from behind the rock coughing up blood as he did. He holstered his weapon feeling sorry for the man. He approached the dying man and reached for his dog tag.

"Private George Mason 3rd company 12th division infantry."

The soldier finished coughing and spoke in a raspy tone, "With all of the fighting today, can you believe I actually was attacked by a gecko and fell off a ledge which put in the position you see me in now." He paused to cough more blood up, "You know it makes you think, even if we had won. What would have changed, people would still die right? We didn't solve anything. We just killed more people for no reason." The bitterness was clear in his words as he took his last breath then with one more sputter of blood from his mouth he died.

Jack leaned down and looked down at the soldier. He was young in his mid 20's with a slight beard and a blonde buzz cut. He appeared to be married judging by the wedding ring on his finger. Jack looked around and then shut the soldier's eyes and moved him off the road. Then he took a bottle of vodka out of his coat and poured two glasses. He downed his then threw the other on the dead body. He then took a small lighter from his pocket and lit it marveling at the way light could be created from nothing. Then with one flick of his wrist he flicked the open lighter on the body setting it aflame instantly. He stood for a moment watching the body catch flame and all noticeable features become burnt to a crisp.

Jack then found himself captivated at the soldier's demise. Out of all the combat of the day he was not even killed on a battlefield. He was killed on a ledge alone without any other soldiers backing him up. It occurred to him that the soldier must have either deserted or been left behind by his squad to die. Jack looked around and noticed that the sun was starting to set and he needed to get going to Goodsprings soon.

He continued his walk without much more incident except for a scattered powder ganger or gecko. He walked until he finally reached his destination, the Goodsprings cemetery. He walked over to the still dug up grave site where he had been dumped two months earlier. He looked down and saw that the grave had not been tampered with at all since he had last seen it. He took a cigar out of his coat pocket and looked out at his city as the sun set to the west.

He smoked the cigar in peace and enjoyed the scenery and cool late afternoon autumn air. He had read in Mr. House's library that trees used to change colors at this time. He realized that it would soon be Christmas eve and winter although another book for the old world informed him that Vegas didn't get very cold. Christmas was an old war holiday which celebrated the birth of a former religious figure. Jack wasn't religious and wasn't planning on making the city an image of any particular religion. He had studied religion a small bit in the library but it wasn't a topic that peaked his interest. He had devoted a lot of his time to studying the history of the pre-war world while holed up in the lucky 38 for a few days before the battle.

He had spent a lot of time reading up on the American revolution and in many ways looked at it with a degree of both pity and understanding. During the planning for the battles of the day he had used his knowledge of military engagements over the years from the more recent mutant and Enclave struggle of the past 150 years to the Trojan horse techniques of ancient Greece. He had also read excerpts of the art of war in preparation and downloaded the data into the securitrons with a program developed with Arcade and the rest of the Remnants. The results were clear; complete, and utter defeat of all his enemies.

He looked out on his city and once, just once wondered if he would have chose a different outcome. What would have an NCR state of New Vegas been like? Would Caesar have lived up to his promises of daily executions and beheadings if he ruled New Vegas? These were just small thoughts but the main one that bugged the new king was if he had talked Mr. House into not destroying the brotherhood of steel chapter in Hidden valley and helped him secure New Vegas. Would life be better? Would it be worse? He could only wonder though because he had not chosen any of these options. He had picked the option of the people. An independent Vegas under his quiet, but commanding rule. With his Vegas the different factions of the Mojave could still keep their independence and get protection and government built cooperatively by all different factions. However Jack couldn't get cocky. Because as he as he had read in many texts leading up to the day the bombs fell this new world was war... and war never changes.

Shady Sands (capital of the New California Republic)

Colonel Thomas Moore looked down at the incident reports from Hoover dam in pure disbelief. While he had not been involved in this battle or any of the planning for it he had been sure this non-legion third party was nothing but a rag tag force with sub par equipment. At least that was what he had been told by not only his sister through their frequent phone calls and letters but almost every other military officer that had been in the Mojave. He wondered what had changed that made this third party so strong. His personal thoughts were interrupted when his office door opened. He jumped up and snapped a quick salute,

"Mr. President! Colonel Thomas Moore reporting!"

"At ease soldier! Please sit down and have a drink with me."

Moore nodded and went for his liquor cabinet, however he was stopped en route, "No no Tom I've got the good stuff tonight." He produced two fairly well sized glasses from his suit pocket and also a large bottle of Scotch.

Moore sat back down and took a glass which Kimball filled to the brim with the expensive alcohol. The two men sat in silence enjoying the numbing drink and soaking in the magnitude of the biggest military defeat in the history of the NCR

.Kimball finally broke the silence, "You know before your sister went to the Mojave her and I sat here in this very office sharing a drink. and talking over how she was going to have Lee's job once we won this war." He paused and took another long drink followed by a longer silence. "Perhaps that's what we should have done."

He looked at Thomas with a look of pure pity, "Tom I'm sorry."

Thomas looked down at his glass and then knocked back the last quarter of the glass, "I know Mr. President."

Kimball responded, "No... not anymore. I sent my resignation in to Congress before I came here. I'm done Tom. I believe Congressman Jonas Thompson from New Arroyo will be taking my place soon."

Thomas looked at his president with pure shock, "But sir..."

He was interrupted by Kimball, "For what it's worth I am recommending you for promotion to take Oliver's spot. It'll be up to Thompson of course but I believe he will at least take my recommendation into account. You have done well at your job of defending our home while everyone else was focused on fighting a war we had no business in being in. You managed to increase safety of Shady Sands while massive budget cuts set in. You're a smart soldier and as General I believe you have the mind to not only restore our once great armed forces, but also work with our new president in securing our great nation."

Moore was taken off guard when Kimball said this, "But sir... are you sure I am the most qualified I mean to tell the truth I thought I only had my job because of my family."

Kimball sighed, "Honestly you're not far from the truth. You did get to officers school because of your connections in the armed forces. You know your grandfather was a legendary soldier and your father, well I knew your father personally and I do not doubt that if he were still alive he would have been elected president instead of me. However you are still a damn good officer and I think you're ready for this move. Just remember, don't let your personal grudges get in the way of your new job. However I'm putting a fast attack ranger squad in your command for the next week. Do with it what you will."

With that Kimball took a file out of his pocket and slid it across to the desk to the new general. "Good luck sir." With that Kimball made a move that would make George Washington turn in his grave. He raised his right hand and snapped a sharp, meaningful salute to the colonel. Moore nodded and with that he turned his attention to the file. He read the title aloud,

"Operation Unthinkable."

**OK, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Two quick things to explain. Colonel Thomas Moore is a character I created and is not in the game. Also I don't want to spoil the surprise but those of you familiar with very early cold war black ops will know about Operation Unthinkable. If you don't know then look it up on Wikipedia for some background information. Anyways enjoy and remember to review. **


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